Humidification device

Abstract

Disclosed is a humidity control apparatus which ensures a sufficient dehumidification amount without increasing an area of a gas-liquid contact portion in a dehumidification unit, regardless of the type of liquid absorbent used. The humidity control apparatus includes an absorbent circuit connecting a liquid-based dehumidification module, a recovery module, and a liquid-cooling heat exchanger which cools, with a refrigerant, a liquid absorbent before being used in the liquid-based dehumidification module. A refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidification module is positioned upstream of the liquid-based dehumidification module in a flow direction of target air, and cools and dehumidifies, with the refrigerant, the target air before being dehumidified in the module. The liquid-cooling heat exchanger and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidification module are connected to a single refrigerant circuit together with a liquid-heating heat exchanger.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A humidity control apparatus, comprising:
 an absorbent circuit connecting a liquid-based dehumidifier which causes a liquid absorbent to absorb moisture in target air to dehumidify the target air, a recovery moisture exchanger which releases the moisture in the liquid absorbent to air for recovery to recover the liquid absorbent, and a pump capable of circulating the liquid absorbent between the liquid-based dehumidifier and the recovery moisture exchanger; 
 a single refrigerant circuit in which a refrigerant circulates; 
 a liquid-cooling heat exchanger which is connected to both of the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit and cools, with a refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, the liquid absorbent before being used for dehumidification in the liquid-based dehumidifier; and 
 a refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier which is connected to only the refrigerant circuit out of the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit, and is positioned upstream of the liquid-based dehumidifier in a flow direction of the target air, and cools and dehumidifies, by exchanging heat with the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, the target air before being dehumidified in the liquid-based dehumidifier, wherein 
 the liquid-cooling heat exchanger, the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and a liquid-heating heat exchanger are connected to the refrigerant circuit, 
 the liquid-heating heat exchanger heats the liquid absorbent before being recovered by the recovery moisture exchanger by exchanging heat with the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, 
 the humidity control apparatus includes a mode operation controller which controls the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit such that the humidity control apparatus switches an execution of a plurality of mode operations, and 
 the plurality of mode operations is a plurality of dehumidification modes in which each dehumidification mode in the plurality of dehumidification modes dehumidifies the target air by using the liquid-based dehumidifier and/or the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       2. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the target air dehumidified in the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier is supplied into a room, and 
 a heat dissipation heat exchanger is further connected to the refrigerant circuit, the heat dissipation heat exchanger dissipating heat of the refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier to a heat dissipation fluid other than the air in the room. 
 
     
     
       3. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a supply controller which stops supply of the heat dissipation fluid to the heat dissipation heat exchanger when a condensation temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is equal to or lower than a predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       4. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein 
 the plurality of dehumidification modes comprises a first dehumidification mode, a second dehumidification mode, and a third dehumidification mode, and 
 the mode operation controller controls the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit such that the humidity control apparatus is configured to switch an execution of 
 the first dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by the liquid-based dehumidifier and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, 
 the second dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the liquid-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier, and 
 the third dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       5. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit controller which controls the refrigerant circuit such that a temperature of the target air that has flowed out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and is not dehumidified yet by the liquid-based dehumidifier is equal to or higher than a temperature of the liquid absorbent flowing into the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       6. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein
 the plurality of dehumidification modes comprises a first dehumidification mode, a second dehumidification mode, and a third dehumidification mode, and 
 the mode operation controller controls the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit such that the humidity control apparatus is configured to switch an execution of 
 the first dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by the liquid-based dehumidifier and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, 
 the second dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the liquid-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier, and 
 the third dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       7. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein
 the plurality of dehumidification modes comprises a first dehumidification mode, a second dehumidification mode, and a third dehumidification mode, and 
 the mode operation controller controls the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit such that the humidity control apparatus is configured to switch an execution of 
 the first dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by the liquid-based dehumidifier and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, 
 the second dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the liquid-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier, and 
 the third dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       8. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit controller which controls the refrigerant circuit such that a temperature of the target air that has flowed out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and is not dehumidified yet by the liquid-based dehumidifier is equal to or higher than a temperature of the liquid absorbent flowing into the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       9. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit controller which controls the refrigerant circuit such that a temperature of the target air that has flowed out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and is not dehumidified yet by the liquid-based dehumidifier is equal to or higher than a temperature of the liquid absorbent flowing into the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       10. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit controller which controls the refrigerant circuit such that a temperature of the target air that has flowed out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and is not dehumidified yet by the liquid-based dehumidifier is equal to or higher than a temperature of the liquid absorbent flowing into the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       11. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit controller which controls the refrigerant circuit such that a temperature of the target air that has flowed out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and is not dehumidified yet by the liquid-based dehumidifier is equal to or higher than a temperature of the liquid absorbent flowing into the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       12. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit controller which controls the refrigerant circuit such that a temperature of the target air that has flowed out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and is not dehumidified yet by the liquid-based dehumidifier is equal to or higher than a temperature of the liquid absorbent flowing into the liquid-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       13. A humidity control apparatus, comprising:
 an absorbent circuit connecting a liquid-based dehumidifier which causes a liquid absorbent to absorb moisture in target air to dehumidify the target air, a recovery moisture exchanger which releases the moisture in the liquid absorbent to air for recovery to recover the liquid absorbent, and a pump capable of circulating the liquid absorbent between the liquid-based dehumidifier and the recovery moisture exchanger; 
 a single refrigerant circuit in which a refrigerant circulates; 
 a liquid-cooling heat exchanger which is connected to both of the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit and cools, with a refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, the liquid absorbent before being used for dehumidification in the liquid-based dehumidifier; and 
 a refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier which is connected to only the refrigerant circuit out of the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit, and is positioned upstream of the liquid-based dehumidifier in a flow direction of the target air, and cools and dehumidifies, by exchanging heat with the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, the target air before being dehumidified in the liquid-based dehumidifier, wherein 
 the liquid-cooling heat exchanger, the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and a liquid-heating heat exchanger are connected to the refrigerant circuit, 
 the liquid-heating heat exchanger heats the liquid absorbent before being recovered by the recovery moisture exchanger by exchanging heat with the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, 
 the humidity control apparatus includes a mode operation controller which controls the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit such that the humidity control apparatus switches an execution of a plurality of mode operations, 
 the plurality of mode operations is a plurality of dehumidification modes in which each dehumidification mode in the plurality of dehumidification modes dehumidifies the target air by using the liquid-based dehumidifier and/or the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, and 
 the humidity control apparatus further comprises:
 a liquid tank provided in an absorbent circuit, connected to the liquid-based dehumidifier, and receiving the liquid absorbent that has come into contact with the outside air, and 
 a drain pan formed separately from the liquid tank and discharging condensed water generated in the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier to outside of the humidity control apparatus. 
 
 
     
     
       14. A humidity control apparatus, comprising:
 an absorbent circuit connecting a liquid-based dehumidifier which causes a liquid absorbent to absorb moisture in target air to dehumidify the target air, a recovery moisture exchanger which releases the moisture in the liquid absorbent to air for recovery to recover the liquid absorbent, and a pump capable of circulating the liquid absorbent between the liquid-based dehumidifier and the recovery moisture exchanger; 
 a single refrigerant circuit in which a refrigerant circulates; 
 a liquid-cooling heat exchanger which is connected to both of the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit and cools, with a refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, the liquid absorbent before being used for dehumidification in the liquid-based dehumidifier; and 
 a refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier which is connected to only the refrigerant circuit out of the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit, and is positioned upstream of the liquid-based dehumidifier in a flow direction of the target air, and cools and dehumidifies, by exchanging heat with the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, the target air before being dehumidified in the liquid-based dehumidifier, wherein 
 the liquid-cooling heat exchanger, the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and a liquid-heating heat exchanger are connected to the refrigerant circuit, 
 the liquid-heating heat exchanger heats the liquid absorbent before being recovered by the recovery moisture exchanger by exchanging heat with the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, 
 in the refrigerant circuit, the liquid-cooling heat exchanger and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier are arranged in parallel, and 
 the humidity control apparatus includes a mode operation controller which controls the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit such that the humidity control apparatus switches an execution of a plurality of mode operations, and 
 the plurality of mode operations is a plurality of dehumidification modes in which each dehumidification mode in the plurality of dehumidification modes dehumidifies the target air by using the liquid-based dehumidifier and/or the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier. 
 
     
     
       15. The humidity control apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein
 the plurality of dehumidification modes comprises a first dehumidification mode, a second dehumidification mode, and a third dehumidification mode, and 
 the mode operation controller controls the absorbent circuit and the refrigerant circuit such that the humidity control apparatus is configured to switch an execution of 
 the first dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by the liquid-based dehumidifier and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, 
 the second dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the liquid-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier, and 
 the third dehumidification mode in which the target air is dehumidified by only the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier out of the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier and the liquid-based dehumidifier, 
 in the first dehumidification mode, a refrigerant is supplied to both the liquid-cooling heat exchanger and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, 
 in the second dehumidification mode, the refrigerant is supplied only to the liquid-cooling heat exchanger, of the liquid-cooling heat exchanger and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, and 
 in the third dehumidification mode, the refrigerant is supplied only to the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier, of the liquid-cooling heat exchanger and the refrigerant-cooling-based dehumidifier.